Somehow I always end up doing more than it is necessary.Today I am offering you, Beautiful People, two quotes for the price of one.

I am what I am (that’s already a third quote in one day!), and a while ago a great blogger and a wonderful cook called me intrepid. I took it as a compliment, and called my next post Intrepid New World. (please click here). If you just looked it up, you are already familiar with Tindora. If not, let me introduce you:

It’s an adorable Indian vegetable, otherwise known as Ivy Gourd, that looks like a mini-cucumber, but is actually closer to a tiny zucchini. I’ve been trying all kind of different things with it, mostly pickles, salads,and side dishes.

Finally, my Tindora got sick and tired of always being in the background and demanded a more important position. “We are all grown up and important enough to be a main dish, – demanded the Tindies, – give us some balls!”

Balls we got – meatless vegan meatballs that I would usually defrost for a quick go-to gluten free spaghetti and meatballs dinner when I am pressed or time. To combine them with Tindies looked like another one of my intrepid experiments. But just to replace pasta with such a cute little vegetable and smother it in my homemade tomato sauce seemed blah… Something else was needed – ah! Another veggie!

We got mushrooms, with ginger, turmeric, and cilantro, to support the little Tindies!

But first we have to saute some minced onion and garlic,with grated ginger and turmeric and chopped cilantro, then add Tindies and mushrooms, both sliced in half, and let them cook together and become good friends. Once mushrooms darken and soften and Tindies get some suntan, it’s time to season.

I used cumin, paprika, and cinnamon, some sea salt and Garam Masala. I figured, I had to make my Tindies more comfortable, so I gave them at least one traditional Indian spice. Now they were ready to be mixed with meatballs, so I threw the balls into the pan and briefly seared them on all sides. Then I reduced the heat and let the whole mess simmer together for a few minutes so that the meatballs could absorb the flavors.

The meatballs came out juicy, the mushrooms were soft and flavorful, and Tindora – simply divine! You can probably replicate this recipe with young and very firm zucchini, but I am firmly convinced that Tindora was born to stand out!

INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb Tindora (Ivy Gourd)

1/2 lb mushrooms

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium size onion, minced

2 – 3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 inch ginger, grated

1 inch yellow turmeric, grated

A handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

10 – 12 meatless meatballs

A pinch of cumin

A pinch of cinnamon

A pinch of paprika

A pinch of Garam Masala

Salt to taste

Optional: if too dry, add a splash of light sweet wine.

PROCEDURE

Saute onion and garlic with grated ginger and turmeric and chopped cilantro in olive oil.

Add mushrooms and Tindora, sliced in half. Season with cumin, cinnamon, paprika, Garam Masala, and salt. Cover, saute together until mushrooms are almost done. Stir occasionally.

So am I, friend! I had not heard of Tindora, as well as many other Indian veggies and spices until my husband discovered this fabulous Indian store, and I started raiding it. I love my discoveries! They don’t taste like cukes, even when pickled. They taste like those baby zucchini they serve in fancy restaurants and charge you a fortune for them.

You mean you’ve never seen a $45 entree with a tiny piece of meat or fish on it and three steamed baby veggies, about 1 inch long each, tied together by a chive with a bow, and a blob of something green a slimy on the side called a sauce?